Method of unloading container from transport vehicle

Abstract

An over the road transport vehicle and method of unloading its cargo container. The transport vehicle includes a chassis having a wheeled tandem support and a flatbed that is selectively positionable relative to the tandem and may be tilted on the tandem to permit a container supported thereon to be moved longitudinally off the flatbed to either ground level or to an elevated loading platform.

I claim as my invention: 
     
       1. A method of unloading a cargo container having retractable and extensible support wheels from a transport vehicle having a tractor and a detachable chassis supporting said cargo container, said chassis having a flatbed mounted on a pivot support of a wheeled tandem for relative pivotal and longitudinal movement with respect to said tandem and pivot support comprising the steps of: (a) slidably moving said flatbed in a longitudinal direction relative to said tandem pivot support so that said tandem is located at any desired longitudinal location along a length of said flatbed,   (b) extending said container wheels to elevate said container relative to said flatbed and support said container for rolling movement, (c) c. tilting said flatbed about said tandem pivot support to a desired angular position relative to the horizontal, and   (d) moving said cargo container longitudinally off the end of said flatbed while said container wheels are in an extended container supporting position.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 including moving said flatbed to a substantially centered cantilever position over said tandem, and tilting said flatbed to lower the rearward end thereof to ground level. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 2 in which said container is moved off said tilted flatbed to ground level under gravity force. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1 including moving said flatbed to locate a rearward portion thereof over said tandem, and tilting said flatbed to position the rearward end thereof to an elevated loading platform. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1 including braking the wheels of said tandem against rotary movement prior to slidably moving said flatbed relative to said tandem, and moving said flatbed relative to said tandem by backing said tractor rearwardly with said flatbed attached and said tandem wheels braked. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 5 including backing said tractor relative to said tandem until said tandem engages a positive stop on said flatbed. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 1 including returning said flatbed to its original untilted position after said container has been removed, moving said flatbed to a travel position over said tandem, and locking said flatbed against sliding and tilting movement with respect to said tandem. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 1 including controlling movement of said container off said flatbed by a winch rope secured to said container. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 1 including loading another container on said flatbed after the container originally mounted thereon has been moved off said flatbed by connecting said winch rope to said other container and drawing said container longitudinally onto said flatbed while in a tilted condition. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9 including loading a second container on said flatbed after said other container has been positioned thereon by passing said winch rope under said other container and connecting it to said second container, and operating said winch rope to draw said second container longitudinally onto said flatbed to a position immediately behind said other container. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 1 including supporting two containers on said flatbed, and simultaneously moving said containers off said flatbed when in a tilted unloading position.